Amusement apparatus.



P. B. HAIGHT.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED P216, 1909.

93 1 ,863. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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P B. HAIGHT. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED FBB.6,1909.

931,863. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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93 1 ,863 Patented Aug. 24. 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT orrioa.

PARIGLR B. HAIG-HT, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PARKER B. HAIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in amusement apparatus of the class employing cars for carrying passengers upon an inclined way, and has for its object the provision of an apparatus which will be reliable in operation for conveying passengers 'upon downward and upward inclines, to pass adj acent submerged and illuminated chambers, the car being submerged during parts of its course.

The invention has reference to the construction of a water-tight compartment or car having transparent wall portions, ventilating-ports and an entrance or exit-way with a closure therefor, thecar having a gravity suflicient to pass under water, said car to be used in connection with an inclined track way, parts of which are submerged.

and which lead closely adjacent submerged, illuminated chambers with transparent wall portions, the interior of the chambers to be attractively arranged as grottoes or to contain aquatic plants, fish, &c., the same to be viewed from within the car while said car is submerged. By reason of the change in temperature, from air to water, and novelty in scenery while below the surface of the water, the efiect tends to be sensational and conduces to the amusement of the passenger.

The invention also includes convenient means for moving the car upon different in clines, and for moving the car at diflerent rates of speed while completing its course from and to its starting point, whereby passengers are detained while the car is moving at a comparatively slow rate of speed in the water; and includes certain features of construction relating to safety devices employed for moving the car upon the incline and through the water.

With these and other objects in View the invention presents a novel combination and arrangement of parts, as described herein, pointed out by the claims and as illustrated in the drawing, wherein,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 6, 1909.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

Serial No. 476,392.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a trackway, including in its course certain submerged passageways and adjacent aquatic or grotto chambers. Fig. 2 is a view of the car in longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the car and submerged chambers. Fig. 4 is a side view of the engaging hook. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the hook mounted on the chain. Fig. 6 shows a broken away view of the horizontal and inclined chains with hooks mounted thereon.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, numeral 1 indicates a continuous trackway for the movement thereon of cars 2. At 3 is indicated a shed or'barn where the cars may be conveniently housed, and may be moved therefrom upon a substantially level track 4 to turn-table 5.

The passage of cars upon trackway 1 is preferably in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. There is a slight clownward inclination of the track from the platform to the point indicated at a and an inclination is provided of about 80 degrees for trackway 1 between a and b, a substantially level trackway between the points I) and c where the cars are submerged, and an upward inclination of about 20 degrees between 0 and (Z. Between the points indicated at d and 6 there is a sufficient downward inclination so that cars may be moved by hand power. From 0 to f the inclination is preferably 20 degrees. From f to g the track is substantially level where it is again submerged. The car then passes upward upon an incline from g to it. From the point it to turntable 5 there isa slight downward in clination, so that the car, upon this part of the track may be moved by hand power.

The several inclinations mentioned may vary from the degrees above outlined, as de sired, and will depend upon the length of the several parts of the trackway. The submerged portions 6 and 7 of the trackway are preferably upon the same level.

I provide the car 2 having a series of glass windows 9 in its sides, and provided adjacently thereto with passenger seats 10. It has the glass front- 11, an exit or entranceway 12 with stairway 13 and is provided with ventilating-ports 14, and it is constructed water-tight with the exceptions of the entrance way and ventilating ports.

At 15 are shown longitudinal chambers upon each side of the trackway, adapted to contain and retain water, the outer wall 16 and inner wall 17 being formed of cement or other suitable material for that purpose, and the inner walls are provided with windows 45, of glass or other transparent substance.

The waters or contents of chambers 15 are illuminated or electrically lighted and may contain aquatic plants, fish, minerals or other objects, and the windows of the car and of the submerged chambers are disposed at substantially the same altitude when the car passes within the submerged tank or passage way 18, as shown in Fig. 3.

I provide the driving shafts 19 actuated by any suitable power applied to pulleys 20 thereof, and provide idler shafts 21., 22, 23 and 24, each having sprocket wheels 25 thereon. I employ sprocket-chains 26, driven by shafts 19 to move longitudinally within tanks 18., between rails 27, in the direction indicated by the arrow already mentioned. l

The entrance way to the car is formed with wall 28 which extends above the top of the car, and this entrance way is provided with a removable closure or cover 29.

I provide a passenger platform 36 having a height substantially equal to that of the car, and in operation', the car is started from platform 30, after being loaded, cover 29 being adjusted upon the elevated wall of the entrance way. u

The car may be moved by hand to the point a and on account of its weight it passes down the inclined trackway with considerable force and at a greater degree of speed than the moving chain 26.

At intervals upon the sprocket chains are provided outi ardly-projecting hooks 31 having forwardly-projecting indexes 32, and I provide the engaging or contact-blocks pivotally mounted at 34 upon and disposed d'ependably from the bottom of the car.

At the front of and adjacent block 33 is secured bracket 35, and spring 36 is secured intermediately upon the bracket and block. -Gontact-block 33 is disposed upon the vertical plane occupied by chains 26.

The front of the car is preferably formed with upper and lower walls 37 and 38 formed convergent toward its glass front 11, and therefore the movement of the car into the water is attended with less resistance. It passes into the water so that its body is wholly immersed or submerged, and since the openings at the top of the car are provided with elevated walls, as described, the water agitated or disturbed by the plunge of the car, will not enter therein.

The car, on account of its momentum will pass to a location adjacent the submerged chambers and will come to a position of rest, this being a desired result on account of the novel situation of the car, and apparent helpent operation of spring 36 facilitates the described movement.

The car is conveyed from its submerged position by operation of hooks 31, one of I which will engage with the rear face or side of block 33. At this time the spring operates to prevent any shock to the car Vii-1" the latter is moved forwardly by the hook,

and bracket 35 has an adequate strength to I sustain the weight imposed thereon by the forwardly moving car.

I provide sprocket-chains 39 for movement of the car up the inclined ways. Chains 29 are practically parallel with chains 26, but are disposed upon an adjacent vertical plane. Near the front end of the car, intermediate the rails of the track is provided the contact block, bracket, and intermediate spring indicated, respectively at L0, 11 and 42'; their construction and operation are identical to that already described, and no explanation is needed. They are disposed upon the vertical plane of chain 39, and during the movement of the car up the incline, the weight is sustained by bracket 41, one of hooks 31 making engagement with contactblock L0, during this upward movement of the car. The two chains 39 and 26 are required in connection with each tank and ascent, since the car must be moved horizontally in one, and inclinedly in the other instance.

It will be noted that the parts which operate to move the car are submerged and s are practically concealed from View, and this feature adds to the novel combination as I an amusement apparatus since it implies that the car is propelled through the water tanks by means within the car. To add to this illusion, the propeller 4C3 is employed which may be actuated by the motor 44 disposed within the car.

It will be understood that the parts for operating the car and located at the submerged portions 6 and 7 of the trackway are substantially the same. Sprocket-chains 39 and 26 are employed in each instance, and the car assumes a position of rest and is detained for an interval immediately after plunging down the inclines within each submerged portion 6 and 7.

Longitudinal chambers 46 of grotto e7 may be electrically lighted and any suitable objects or scenery placed therein for adding novelty thereto, and for entertainment. The car passes between chambers upon the trackway as shown in the drawing.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is,

1. The combination with a water-submerged passage having a car trackway therein, of a water-submerged chamber having a containing-wall formed with a transparent portion adjacent said trackway; a movable water-tight car upon said trackway, said car having transparent wall-portions disposed upon the horizontal plane of and ad jacent the transparent wall-portion of said containing-wall, the height of water in the passage being such as to entirely submerge the body of said car and means other than gravity for propelling said car through said passageway.

52. The combination with a water-submerged passage having a car trackway thereon, of water-submerged chambers having containing-walls formed with transparent portions adjacent said trackway, a movable water-tight car upon said trackway, said car having transparent wall portions disposed upon the horizontal plane of and adjacent the transparent wall portions of said containing-walls, the height of water in the passage being such as to entirely submerge the body of said car and means other than gravity for propelling said car through said passageway.

3. The combination with a longitudinal submerged passage-way having a car trackway thereon, of submerged chambers disposed upon opposite sides of the trackway, each having a containing-wall provided with a transparent. portion adjacent said trackway; a movable water-tight car upon said trackway, said car having transparent wall portions disposed upon the horizontal plane of and adjacent the transparent wall portions of said containing-walls, the height of water in the passage being such as to entirely submerge the body of said car and means other than gravity for propelling said car through said passageway.

4. The combination of a submerged tank having transparent, intermediate wall-portions to form a passage way with adjacent chambers, a car trackway upon said passage way; a movable water-tight car upon said trackway, said car having transparent wallportions, the height of water in the passage being such as to entirely submerge the body of said car and means other than gravity for propelling said car through said passageway.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PARKER B. HAIGHT.

lVitnesses:

HraAM A. STURGES, ARTHUR STURGES. 

